Brace for venetian blind cord locks and head channels



May 8. 1956 H. K. LORENTZEN 2,744,572

BRACE FOR VENETIAN BLIND CORD LOCKS AND HEAD CHANNELS Filed July 28, 1954 FIGS INVENTOR HANS K. LORENTZEN BY M 64/04. {-74 HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent-( BRACE FOR VENETIAN BLIND CORD LOCKS AND HEAD CHANNELS 2,744,572 Patented May 8 1956 ice - tion, in which:

Hans K. Lorentzen, Montclair, N. 1., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 28, 1954, SerialNo. 446,341

7 Claims. (Cl. 160-173) slats of the blind. Today the head is most frequently of the enclosed type, i. e. the mechanism for raising and tilting the slats of the blind is enclosed within a channel of U-shaped cross section. The blind raising and lowering mechanism includes a lift cord which is usually looped to form two branches. These branches extend upwardly through an opening in the bottom of the head channel near one end thereof, are reeved through the head channel, are passed through aligned holes in the bottom of the head channel and in the slats, and have their ends Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a Venetian blind provided with a head channel-reinforcing brace of the present invention, the blind being shown partially raised and certain portions being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the reinforcing brace shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of the head channel assembly atv the location of the cord lock, a portion of the side of the head channel being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section through the head channel of the blind, the section being taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section through the head channel at the location of the reinforcing brace and the cord lock, the section being taken along the line 5-5 Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the Venetian blind 10 of Fig. 1 has a head channel 11, a bottom bar 12, and slats 14. The bottom bar is connected to thelower ends of the branches of the ladder tapes 15, 15 and the slats rest upon the cross tapes or rungs of such tapes. The lift cords, or lift-cord branches, 16, 16 are reeved through the head and passed downwardly through the slats 14 between the two branches of the ladder tapes 15, 15, one

attached to the bottom bar which is relatively heavy and acts as the bottom slat of the blind.

Mounted within the head channel so as to engage both branches of the lift cord is a selectively operated cordclamping fitting, usually called a cord lock, by which the lift-cord branches may be held in any position between that in which the blind is fully raised and that in which the blind is fully extended. When the blind is locked in any raised position, the lift-cord branches and the cord lock sustain the weight of the bottom bar and all of the slats that have been gathered thereon. Thus, even under static conditions, the cord lock and the means which socure it to the head channel must sustain a substantial load. The load on the cord lock and its securing means is momentarily multiplied many times when the blind is rapidly lowered and then suddenly arrested in an intermediate position by the cord lock. Under such conditions the cord lock may be bent or,torn loose, parmounted position in the head channel of a. Venetian blind; to provide a brace which also reinforces the head channel while holding the cord lock in place; to provide a head channel brace having advantageous interengagement with the beads that are on the edges of the usual head channel; and to provide an effective cord-lock-holding and channel-reinforcing brace which can be rapidly and economically made, preferably as a sheet metal stamping, and which may be rapidly and easily installed.

.A further object of the invention resides 'in'the provision of an improved assembly of cord-lock brace and Venetian blind'head channel. i

My invention is clearly defined in the claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts may at times be identified by specific names .for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplatedapplying my invention, is illustrated in the lift-cord branch 16 being associated with each ladder tape 15. The lower ends of the lift cords 16, 16 are attachedto the bottom bar 12. The blind is raised by gathering slats upon the bottom bar by pulling downwardly on the lift-cord branches 16, 16 hanging at the right of the blind. The blind is held in any raised position by clamping engagement of the cord lock 21 with the lift-cord branches. The slats 14, 14 are tilted in the desired direction by pulling one or the other of the branches 17, 17 of the tilt cord. The construction and operation of the blind, as described in this paragraph, is conventional.

The cord lock designated generally by 21, which in this instance is somewhat similar to that shown in Nelson U. S. Patent No. 2,587,752, is secured within the head channel 11 on the bottom 19 thereof in proper position to receive the cord branches 19, 19, which extend through the elongated opening 20 in the bottom of the channel. The body 22 of the cord lock is generally U-shaped in plan, having two parallel sides 24 and 25 connected by an end 26. A double-grooved pulley 27 is journalled on a pintle pin 37 which spans the space between the parallel sides of the cord-lock body. Integral with side 25 of the cord-lock body is a large horizontal flange 29 which rests on the bottom of the head channel rearwardly of hole 20. Integral with side 24 is a small horizontal flange or foot 35 which rests against the bottom of the head channel forwardly of hole 20. As shown, the body of the cord lock is tipped with respect to the plane of flanges 29 and 35. The ends of large flange 29 are notched at 30 and 31 and receive clinched tabs 32 and 34, at the outer and inner ends of the cord lock, respectively, that are struck from the bottom 19 of the head channel and serve to hold the cord lock in place so long as no undue I force is applied to the cord lock.

raised position,v the weight of the bottom bar and the slats accumulated thereon is transmitted by the lift cord to the cord lock. The force which the cords exert on the cord lock tends to pull it inwardly of the channel, to the left (Fig. and to turn it counterclockwise about the inner tab 34 as a fulcrum. Repeated operation of a heavy Venetian blind having the structure shown, particularly when the blind is allowed to fall and is then suddenly arrested by the cord lock, tends to loosen the tabs 32 and 34 and especially tends to cause the outer end of flange 29 to rise from the bottom of the head channel.

The reinforcing brace of the present invention holds the cord lock down in its mounted position so that it remains firmly and accurately in place despite what would otherwise be repeated severe overloads on the previously described cord-lock-mounting means. At the same time, the brace reinforces the sides of the head channel, maintaining them parallel to each other.

The reinforcing brace is designated generally by 40. Such brace, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, is made as a one-piece sheet metal stamping. The brace is generally U-shaped in plan, having a main cross portion 41 and two broad legs or end flanges 42, 42 which extend at right angles to the cross portion and longitudinally of the head channel in an inward direction. Cross portion 41 is of such width that the end flanges 42 snugly but slidingly engage the inner faces of the sides 44, 44 of the head channel, thereby maintaining the portion 41 perpendicular to the side walls 44, 44 of the head channel. The bottom edge of portion 41 is generally of a tilted, broad V shape, one side 49 of which (Fig. 4) is generally parallel to the tilted top of the cord-lock body and the other side 48 of which is generally paral- 101 to the side 24 of the cord-lock body. Portion 41 is of such height and bottom edges 43 and 49 thereof are so disposed that when the brace 40 is positioned and held by the beads on the head channel, in the manner to be described, the brace is astride of, or straddles, the cord-lock body.

The head channel 11 has open, inwardly-turned beads 45, 45 one of its longitudinal upper edges, and these receive terminal formations on the side flanges 42, 42 of the brace. The upper ends of the end flanges 42, 42 of the brace are inwardly bent into hook-shaped terminal formations, the end flange 46 (Fig. 2) of each such formation being positioned so as to lie chordally of its respective bead 45. Such interengagement between the upper terminal formations on the end flanges of the brace and the beads on the channel retains the brace against upward or downward movement with respect to the channel, and contributes greatly to the holding of the brace against the tipping of its cross portion 41 out of a vertical plane as well as aiding in preventing its canting out of its position perpendicular to the longitudinal axs of the head channel. end flanges, and their upper terminal portions also maintain the sides of the head channel from movement out of parallelism with each other. Projecting from the top edge of the portion 41 in a direction toward the adjacent end of the head channel and opposite to the direction of end flanges 42, 42 is the relatively broad horizontal flange 47 which engages the lower inturned edges of the beads 45, 45 and thus further restrains the brace from tipping from a vertical plane besides preventing upward movement of the brace with respect to the head channel.

Extending from the lower edge 49 of portion 41 of the brace in a direction toward the adjacent end of the head channel is a locking flange 50 which is so located as to overlie the cord lock and resiliently press strongly downwardly upon the upper edge of the cord-lock body when the brace is in fully applied position. The free end of flange 50 is bent into a depending flange or lip 51 which, as shown in Fig. 5, contacts the upper portion or end member26 of the cord-lock body and prevents The porton 41 of the brace, its

the brace 40 from moving leftwardly from the position shown in Fig. 5. The flange 50 is also provided with a downwardly inclined resilient latching tongue 52 punched from the stock of flange 50. The latching tongue 52 has its free end normally spaced from the inner vertical surface of lip 51 so that the upper edge of the end member 26 of the cord-lock body may be received between the end of the latch 52 and the depending lip 51 (Fig. 5). When the brace 50 is in its fully applied locked position it is thus prevented from travel lengthwise of the channel in either direction.

The downwardly directed force which the flange 50 of the brace exerts on the cord lock is located at the righthand end of the cord lock (Fig. 5) and substantially above the level of the horizontal portion of the lift-cord branches. Thus the counterclockwise turning moment exerted on the cord lock by the lift-cord branches (Fig. 5) is effectively counteracted by the brace. The reaction on the brace exerted by the cord lock tends to turn the brace counterclockwise. As we have seen, however, tipping of the brace is prevented not only by the engagement of the upper terminal portions 46, 46 of end flanges 42, 42 with the beads 45, 45 but also by reason of the engagement of the flange 47 with the bottom edges of the beads.

Brace 40 is preferably mounted in the head channel after installation of the cord lock therein and reeving of the lift-cord branches therethrough. First, the inwardly-bent lower inner corners 54, 54 of the end flanges 42, 42 of the brace are telescoped into the end of the channel, preferably at a level somewhat higher than that which they finally assume. The brace may then he slid slightly downwardly while at the same time being pivoted about such inserted lower corners so as to align the hook-shaped portions at 46, 46 with the spaces within the beads 45, 45. When the brace has been thus aligned in the channel, it may be pushed inwardly until its flange 50 overlies the cord lock with the outer, free end of the flange pressing downwardly upon the cord loci; and the tongue 52 latched to the cord-lock body. The brace may be removed from the head channel, if necessary, by pressing the free end of the latch 52 upwardly into the plane of the flange-50, as by the insertion of a screw driver upwardly through the hole 20 in the bottom of the head channel, through the cord-lock body and between the lift-cord branches therein. The free end of the latch then slides over the upper edge of end 26 cf the cord-lock body when the brace is pulled toward the adjacent-end of the head channel.

I claim:

1. A brace for a channel-shaped Venetian blind head bar having its free longitudinal edges formed into open, inwardly turned beads and having a cord-lock body secured to the inside bottom wall of the head bar, said brace comprising: a unitary sheet-metal stamping adapted to be entered into the end of the head bar and having an intermediate portion adapted to span between the sides of the head bar and provided with a laterally projecting flange positionable against the top of the cord-lock body, said brace having a pair of generally parallel side flanges projecting perpendicularly from the intermediate portion and adapted to lie adjacent the sides of the head bar channel, the upper ends of said side flanges being formed for sliding engagement within the beads of the channel, and a resilient finger on the intermediate portion of the brace for making latching engagement with the cord-lock body.

2. A brace for a channel-shaped Venetian blind head bar having its free longitudinal edges formed into open. inwardly turned beads and having a cord-lock body secured to the'inside bottom wall of the head bar, said brace comprising: a unitary sheet-metal stamping adapted to be entered into the end of the head bar and having an intermediate portion adapted to span between the sides of the head banand provided with a laterally projectingelement positionable against thetop of the cord-lock body, said brace having a pair of generally parallel side flanges projecting perpendicularly from the intermediate portion and adapted to lie adjacent the sides of the head bar channel, the upper ends of said side flanges being formed for sliding engagement within the beads of the channel.

3. A brace for a channel-shaped Venetian blind head bar having its free longitudinal edges formed into open, inwardly turned beads and having a cord-lock body secured to the inside bottom wall of the head bar, said brace comprising: a unitary sheet-metal stamping adapted to be entered into the end of the head bar and having an intermediate portion adapted to span between the sides of the head bar and provided with a laterally projecting flange positionable against the top of the cord-lock body, said brace having a pair of generally parallel side flanges projecting perpendicularly from the intermediate portion and adapted to lie adjacent the sides of the head bar channel, the upper ends of said side flanges being formed for sliding engagement Within the beads of the channel, said laterally projecting flange having a downwardly directed end and a resilient latch for latching engagement with the cord-lock body.

4. A brace for a channel-shaped Venetian blind head bar having its free longitudinal edges formed into open, inwardly turned beads and having a cord-lock body secured to the inside bottom wall of the head bar, said.

brace comprising: a unitary sheet-metal stamping adapted to be entered into the end of the head bar and having an intermediate portion adapted to span between the sides of the head bar and provided with a laterally projecting element positionable against the top of the cord-lock body, said brace having a pair of generally parallel side flanges projecting perpendicularly from the intermediate portion and adapted to lie adjacent the sides of the hear bar channel, the upper ends of said side flanges being formed for sliding engagement within the beads of the channel, and the laterally projecting element of the intermediate portion including a resilient portion for making latching engagement with the cord-lock body.

5. A Venetian blind head bar assembly comprising: a channel-shaped head bar having its longitudinal edges formed into open, inwardly turned beads, a cord lock having a sheet-metal body secured to the inside, bottom wall of the head bar channel, said cord-lock body having an end wall lying generally in a vertical plane extending transversely of the head bar, and a brace for the head bar assembly, said brace being in the form of an integral sheetmetal stamping having an intermediate portion spanning between the sides of the head bar and a pair of parallel side flanges extending perpendicularly from the ends of the intermediate portion and positioned adjacent the sides of the head bar channel, the upper portions of the side flanges being provided With formations slidably engaged within the beads of the head bar and the intermediate por' tion of the brace having a cord-lock-retaining flange positioned against the top edge of the end wall of the cordlock body, said cord-lock-retaining flange having a downwardly directed end and a resilient latch for latching engagement with said top edge of the cord-lock body.

6. A Venetian blind head bar assembly comprising: a channel-shaped head bar having its longitudinal edges formed into open, inwardly turned beads, a cord lock having a sheet-metal body secured to the inside, bottom wall of the head bar channel, and a brace for the head bar assembly, said brace being in the form of an integral sheetmetal stamping having an intermediate portion spanning between the sides of the head bar and a pair of parallel side flanges extending perpendicularly from the immediate ends of the intermediate portion and positioned adjacent the sides of the head bar channel, the upper portions of the side flanges being provided with formations slidably engaged within the beads of the head bar and the inter mediate portion of the brace being positioned against the top of the cord-lock body.

7. A Venetian blind head bar assembly comprising: a channel-shaped head bar having its longitudinal edges formed into open, inwardly turned beads, a cord lock having a sheet-metal body secured to the inside, bottom wall of the head bar channel, said cord-lock body having an end wall lying generally in a vertical plane extending transversely of the head bar, and a brace for the head bar assembly, said brace being in the form of an integral sheetmetal stamping having an intermediate portion spanning between the sides of the head bar and a pair of parallel side flanges extending perpendicularly from the ends of the intermediate portion and positioned adjacent the sides of the head bar channel, the upper portions of the side flanges being provided with formations slidably engaged within the beads of the head bar and the intermediate portion of the brace being positioned against the top edge of the end wall of the cord-lock body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,455,135 Nelson Nov. 30, 1948 2,494,858 Burns Jan. 17, 1950 2,534,080 Stuber et al. Dec. 12, 1950 2,673,608 Nelson Mar. 30, 1954 

